1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sound reproducing device and, more particularly, to a sound reproducing device for selectively playing any desired one groove among a plurality of recorded grooves.
According to the present invention, a locking block or stopper arm is disposed on the side surface of a record disc for temporarily stopping the record disc at a position where a sound reproduction stylus is resting on the starting point of sound reproduction and able to select any specific record groove disposed at the reverse side of the record disc.
On the other hand, a plurality of locking bars or locking rods which advance into the plane of rotation of the stopper arm and stop the stopper arm are disposed within a radial distance from the center of the record disc smaller than the radius of the record disc.
By virtue of these structureal features, the device of the present invention, as a whole, is reduced in plan size as small as possible so as to expand it's field of application and is simplified in its mechanism for returning a pickup by manipulation of the locking spindle which thereby facilitates ready assembly and assures a strong construction.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Among various kind of sound reproducing devices, there are devices of simplified construction intended to be incorporated into dolls or toys which are capable of selecting any desired recorded groove among the plurality of grooves recorded on a record disc. The device disclosed by the present inventor's prior invention granted as Japanese Pat. No. 846861, published as Japanese Patent Publication No. 19763/76, can be raised as a most typical example of this kind of device.
According to the aforesaid prior art device, a stopper arm attached to the record disc is arranged to project outwards at the outer periphery of the record disc. Accordingly, locking bars or mating members are be disposed outside of the outer periphery of the record disc so as to encompass the record disc.
Due to this construction, the casing of the device must have a space for arranging such locking bars or rods around the record disc, so it must have a larger diameter with sufficient clearance from the side face of the record disc than where the device has no locking bar or locking spindle.
This is liable to extend the plan size of the device such that it becomes difficult to incorporate such a device into certain articles, such as dolls or toys.
Furthermore, since the locking bars or rods are disposed around the outer periphery of the record disc, it was indispensable for effecting return of the pickup to the starting point of sound reproduction by manipulating the locking bars to dispose a plurality of cam means on an annular ring member rotatably attached to a center shaft such that the cam means can engage the locking bars.
However, such a mechanism and arrangement of cam means necessitated a highly skilled manufacturing technique and accompanying increased costs, complicated construction, greater actuating power, and yet lowered the strength of the device.